Do People Trust ChatGPT Legal Advice More Than Lawyers?
Legal advice has always carried a sense of seriousness and weight, often involving complex decisions with real-life consequences. But recently, something unexpected has started to happen: many people are showing more trust in legal guidance provided by ChatGPT than advice from actual lawyers, especially when they’re not told where the advice came from.
This shift in perception raises some important questions about the growing role of AI tools in decision-making, especially in areas like law, where accuracy matters.
Legal Guidance Without the Labels
A recent study involving 288 participants found something surprising. When participants were given legal advice without knowing if it came from a human lawyer or ChatGPT, they were more likely to follow the AI-generated suggestions. This shows how convincing AI can be, especially when people don’t know they’re interacting with it.
Even when researchers disclosed the source of the advice, clearly labeling whether it came from a lawyer or AI, participants still responded to both with nearly the same level of trust. This presents a unique situation: people are not only listening to AI but sometimes trusting it just as much as a trained legal professional.
Why AI Legal Advice Sounds So Convincing
Instagram | indiatoday | People may favor ChatGPT in legal contexts due to its use of technical terminology.
There are a few reasons why people may lean toward ChatGPT’s responses in legal matters:
1. Language Use – ChatGPT tends to use more technical or complex legal vocabulary, which can make its responses seem more authoritative.
2. Confidence in Delivery – AI tools like ChatGPT present information with a confident tone, even if the content isn’t always accurate.
3. Perceived Efficiency – People often assume AI delivers faster, more concise answers, which feels more efficient—even if not always more accurate.
In contrast, as noted in the study, human lawyers tended to use simpler language but added more context and detail, which might feel less direct in comparison.
Can People Spot the Difference?
In one part of the study, participants were asked to guess whether the legal advice they received came from a lawyer or ChatGPT. On a scoring scale where random guessing would average 0.5 and perfect accuracy would be 1.0, participants only reached an average score of 0.59.
That’s barely better than flipping a coin. This suggests people have a hard time distinguishing between legal advice from AI and that from professionals, raising questions about reliability and transparency.
Risks of Relying on AI for Legal Decisions
AI-generated content isn’t flawless. Large language models sometimes create what researchers call “hallucinations”—information that sounds convincing but is inaccurate or completely false. In a legal context, these inaccuracies could lead to serious consequences, from misunderstandings of legal rights to mishandling important procedures.
Relying too heavily on AI for legal issues could also delay seeking help from real legal professionals. This might seem minor for general questions, but in high-stakes situations, that delay could turn costly.
Why AI Literacy and Clear Regulation Matter
Freepik | A lawyer’s expertise, grounded in experience and ethics, remains vital beyond AI.
As AI systems become part of everyday life—whether it’s Alexa helping with reminders or ChatGPT offering legal information—the need to understand how they work becomes more important.
Here’s what can help:
1. Clear Regulations – The European Union’s AI Act has already made a step by requiring AI-generated text to be marked in a way that machines and people can recognize.
2. Improved AI Literacy – People need to learn how to question where content comes from and assess whether it’s reliable. This includes recognizing when advice might be AI-generated and understanding the limits of what AI can truly do.
When it comes to legal advice, AI might be a great starting point for basic questions such as:
– What type of case does this fall under?
– What are the general legal rights in a situation like this?
– Are there common legal terms to understand before moving forward?
But the next step should always involve a professional. Lawyers bring the real-world experience, nuanced understanding, and ethical responsibility that AI still can’t replicate.
Building Smarter Use of AI in Legal Matters
AI has the potential to be a helpful tool in the legal space—but only when used wisely. While ChatGPT may offer initial legal information that feels direct and helpful, it shouldn’t replace professional guidance. By combining stronger regulations with better public understanding, the legal field can use AI more responsibly and safely.
Knowing when to rely on legal AI tools and when to turn to a real lawyer is the key to making smarter decisions, not just faster ones.